A follow-up to the successful CORES Project (2009-2014), SOURCES (SOurce apportionment Using isotope Ratio Characterization of oil sands Environmental Samples; 2014-2019) is focused on the development
and application of geochemical and isotopic methodologies to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic contaminants and to better understand processes controlling their distribution in Northern Alberta's Athabasca oil sands region. The project is
divided into research projects centred on airborne and waterborne contaminants. The airborne component to SOURCES is examining inorganic nitrogen species (NH3/NH4 and NO3) in air, soils and trees, and organic contaminants (polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons - PAHs) in lake sediments and snow. The waterborne activity is focused on the surface water-groundwater interactions in areas potentially impacted by emissions from the large tailings ponds. The main contaminants of concern for the
waterborne component are metals and naphthenic acids - a complex mixture of carboxylic acids found naturally in bitumen that become concentrated in oil sands process-affected water. As of spring 2017, most fieldwork required to support this research
(both components) has been carried out. Analyses on PAHs in lake sediments and snow, nitrogen and nutrients in tree rings and soils, and metals and naphthenic acids in groundwater and surface water samples are ongoing.